generated with meta.ai
“Now you’ve ruined the mat and we can’t have dinner here.” Zeka looked at Amika and sighed as she moved the dishes off the wet mat. “It was so cool here.” She looked at the mango tree beneath them, swirling its leaves slowly to the rhythm of the gentle wind.
Amika felt her father’s stare and her mother’s frustration. She dropped her shoulders and slowly walked to sit beside her elder brother, Nino.
“Bad girls ruin everything.” Nino sniggered as he made faces at her. “Our lives would have been bearable without you,” he whispered in her ear.
“Will you stop that nonsense already?” Miko, their father thundered and they both shivered.
“Now that’s enough. It’s only spilled water. We can sit and have a peaceful dinner elsewhere.” Litika aided her arched back with a stick as she stood up.
“Let me help you, grandma.” Amika hurriedly walked to her grandmother and held her arm. “Thank you,” she whispered, holding tightly to the old woman’s frail hand.
“I used to be a beautiful mess just like you. I would trip and fall over anything, spill all the drinks, bump into walls—“
“Grandma Tika, you? You are like the bravest and most confident person I know.” Amika exclaimed before pausing to look at her grandmother.
“But it wasn’t always like this. Bravery comes from deep within you. Let’s just say that I finally earned a golden feather and became brave. When the time is right, you, my little girl, will be the bravest child in the world.” Latika softly pinched Amika’s cheek and smiled.
Amika smiled back and helped her grandma settle on a small wooden stool at the back of the house.
“What do you think we should add to this little village?” Latika pointed at the collection of tiny sculpted clay on the ground. There were rocks, a donkey, and a garden of many flowers.
“Maybe a small map to get around. Our little village is growing big.” Amika’s contagious giggle made her grandmother smile.
They both had their dinner and returned to molding clay for a while until bedtime. “I think I'll retire to my hut now, Amika. Bless you, my child,” Litika said.
Amika gave her grandmother a tight hug and went to bed. Several hours later, she roused at dawn to find an empty house. “Mother! Father! Grandma! Where is everyone?” Amika yelled and her voice bounced back at her in the quiet empty house. Her chest began to tighten. She rushed outside to find no one waiting for her.
Tears began streaming down her face. “They finally left me. But Grandma would never leave me.” She ran to the back of the house only to find a centipede crawling around their little clay village. “She did too?” Amika blurted coldly. She felt her insides turning. She collapsed on the wooden stool and closed her eyes. Hot tears began dripping on the sculptures
Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet felt soft and wet. She quickly opened her eyes and held her breath. Amika found herself standing in a place she had never seen before and it took her breath away.
The grasses and trees were lush purple with a swirling golden sky. A big stone with carvings on its walls stretched endlessly in front of her. Amika gasped in amazement. As she approached the stone, its carvings began shifting to form a face.
“Who goes there?” The stone grumbled.
“I need to find my family!” Amika stood on her toes and yelled.
“Families do not leave good girls behind,” the rock replied with a stony glare.
Amika’s shoulders dropped but she squared them almost immediately. “I must find them.”
“Hmmh you won't back down will you?” The stone grumbled.
“Never! I won't back down.” Amika felt a surge of something strong within her and a smile escaped her lips. “Am I becoming brave?” she thought.
The rock slowly creaked open to reveal a beautiful path lined with flowers. Amika smelled the sweet air as she sauntered through the path like a princess.
“Prove yourself worthy!” The stone echoed.
Amika ventured deeper into the enchanting world. With each step, her courage grew and the path became brighter. She came to a silver bridge lined with rubies and pearls. Just as her feet touched the edge of the bridge, she heard a loud voice.
“I am Boro, the gatekeeper. Why should I let you through?”
Amika turned to find a creature that startled her at first. He had the lower body of a donkey and a human upper body. Amika looked at his soft blue eyes and her fear seeped away. Her eyes then fell on his tangled hoof. “Because I can help you,” she quickly blurted.
Amika helped the creature untangle the thorny vines around his hoof and in gratitude, he gave her a golden feather. “For your bravery,” he said.
Further along, a gentle breeze swept Amika off her feet and carried her to a crystal clearing where a glowing map floated in the air. “Wow! A map. Now I can finally find them,” she exclaimed. Amika stepped forward and touched it. In a flash, she was back home on the stool behind the house again. Her parents, brother, and grandma rushed to her side.
“Where have you been?” Her mother cried, hugging her tightly. “We looked everywhere for you.”
“I thought you left because I was bad?” Amika’s voice trembled.
“What? We would never leave you, darling. We love you so much.” Zeka sobbed. “We only went out early to get you a birthday gift.
“Happy Birthday Child,” Litika said. “Come, I have something to show you.”
“Why did you come back?” Nino teased
Amika smiled. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. “Don't be silly.” She poked him. Still clutching the golden feather in her hand, she followed Litika to her hut leaving Nino shocked.
Litika opened a small box and retrieved a golden feather just like the one Amika had.
“Grandma! You also earned it. You were there in our little village too weren't you?” Amika’s eyes widened.
“Welcome home brave one.” Litika nodded and smiled.
